Rosemarried

Posts Tagged peanut

On Peanut Butter Pie, Love, and Loss.

I don’t know Jennifer Perillo, I’ve simply looked up to her from afar. I adore her recipes, her writing, her and her spirit.

This past Sunday evening, I saw that Jennifer sent out a cryptic tweet. All she said was: “He’s gone. And my heart is shattered in a million pieces.” My heart sank. While the words didn’t tell the full story, I knew. I tried showing the tweet to my husband, and I couldn’t even talk about it without crying. I just had that feeling in the pit of my stomach. When the news broke the next morning that Jennie’s husband Mikey had died of a sudden heart attack, I felt an inexplicable and accute sadness. My heart was broken for her.

Jennie is a complete stranger to me, and yet I was strangely affected by her husband’s death. Many foodies, writers, and bloggers across the country were feeling the same way, apparently. We were shocked and saddened. We wanted to help, but didn’t know how. But then, just days after her husband died, Jennifer Perillo let us know how we could help. She posted a blog, which asked us to remember Mikey by making his favorite dessert: a peanut butter pie. It was simple request, and yet it carried so much weight. It was a way to show my support from afar; a way to join in with a collective voice and show Jennie that we care.

My life is a little nutty this month, I’ll be honest. I feel like I have more to do than I have hours in the day. I happen to have a refrigerator full of cherries and I probably should have been baking cherry pies last night. Instead, I stopped everything for a few minutes and made a peanut butter pie. Tonight, I’ll eat a piece of that pie and remember Mikey. And I’ll pray for Jennie and her two daughters and for strength and peace in the dark days that lay ahead.

And while this tragedy isn’t about me, it does serve as a reminder to be thankful for the time that I have with the ones that I love. As my husband was on his way out the door last night to meet up with a friend, I told him I loved him and gave him a kiss goodbye. And suddenly it struck me: we aren’t always guaranteed a kiss goodbye. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, so I’ve got to be grateful for each day that I have with my husband. I can only pray we get to enjoy a few more together.

So this pie is for Mikey and Jennie. I hope you know we care.

P.S. I won’t post a recipe, as I followed Jennie’s recipe exactly (except I used slightly less sugar and sweetened condensed milk).

P.P.S. I hosted an engagement party tonight for some great friends, and we ate peanut butter pie and celebrated their engagement. I think it’s very fitting to celebrate one union, while mourning the loss of another.

Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad.

I absolutely love this recipe.

If left to my own devices, I would probably eat this particular salad multiple times a week. I crave it often (and therefore, I make it often).

There’s not much I can say about the recipe, only that you need to try it for yourself. So I encourage you to do just that! Give this salad a try — I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Happy Friday, everyone. Here’s to the weekend (and delicious peanutty noodle salads!)!

Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad

1 package rice noodles
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 small carrots, julienned
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

For the peanut sauce:
3/4 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey (*could substitute brown sugar, but I prefer honey)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed
The juice of 1 lime
A generous helping of Sriracha hot sauce (to taste & according to your love of spice! Start with a little and add more as needed!)

Garnishes:
Bean Sprouts
Lime Wedges
Chopped Peanuts
Sriracha sauce

Method
Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, rinse with cold water and allow to cool. Toss with a bit of sesame oil to ensure that the noodles don’t stick together.

In a small pan, cook red onions with a bit of sesame oil over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes (until soft). Set aside. (*Note: I cook the onions to reduce their potency and given them a slight caramelized flavor. You could include them in the salad raw, I simply prefer to cook them a bit first).

Blend all peanut sauce ingredients together in a food processor. Taste, and adjust to your liking. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a bit of water to thin.

Toss the noodles, peanut sauce, red peppers, carrots, and red cooked onions together until evenly coated. Garnish with fresh lime wedges, bean sprouts, and chopped peanuts.

*Note: While this salad is good leftover, it is best if eaten immediately!